Homogenizing and heating device for gaseous fuel.



E. P. ROSS.

HOMOGENIZING AND HEATING DEVICE FOR GASEOUS FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12 1915.

1,160,327. Patented NOV. 16, 1915.

ELLIOTT P. BOSS, 013 FRCEEPORT, NEW YORK.

HOMOGENIZING AND HEATING DEVICE FOR GASEOUS FUEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application filed Max 12, 1915. Serial No. 27,652.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Emo'r'r P. Ross, a citizen of the United States, residing at Freeport, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Homogenizing and Heating Devices for Gaseous Fuels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawmgs.

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in mixing devices for internal combustion engines and as its principal' object aims to provide a device of this character which is formed in the nature of an attachment adapted to be inserted between the carbureter lead pipe and the intake manifold, and is so constructed that it will serve both as a homogenizer for thoroughly mixing the constituents of gas eons fuel passing into the manifold, and as a heating element for volatilizing the fuel.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a carbureting device which is possessed of the above characteristics, but which is extremely simple in construction and may be readily applied to or removed from an engine, with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a mixing device con sisting essentially in, a laminated gasket having a relatively large opening disposed to register with the passage through the manifold, and an electrical resistance element which consists in a single length of wire which is passed back and forth across the opening and whereby when an electrical current is passed through the wire, this member may serve as a heating medium for raising the temperature of the passing gases and consequently volatilizing them, and may also act as a homogenizing element by breaking up the passing gases, thereby causing a more intimate mixture of the constituents of the fuel.

Another specific obiect of the invention is to pass the wire back and forth across the opening in the gasket in such manner that, in effect, the opening is traversed by two superposed series of wires, the wires of each series being parallel to each other, but being diagonally arranged with respect to the wires of the other series, whereby the 7 range of the heated zone, created by the wires will be of maximum extent.

The above, and other incidental objects of a similar nature, which will be hereinafter more specifically treated are accomplished by bodiment of this invention, as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts Figure 1 is a detail perspective view illustrating the carbureting device as applied to the intake manifold of a gas engine; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device removed from the manifold; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33' of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail view in top plan of the central lamination of the gasket with the homogenizing and heating wire applied to the opening therein.

In its preferred embodiment, the mizn'ng device of the present invention is designed for application to the engine by'being placed between the coupling flanges A and B of the carbureter lead pipe and the intake manifold. As will be apparent upon reference to Fig. 1, the gasket takes the place of the ordinary sealing gasket which is interposed between the flanges A and B so that while this member may be omitted when the present device is employed, its function is retained. I

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the gasket is substantially semi-circular in shape so that when it is inserted between fee the elliptical flanges A and B, an extending portion indicated at C in Fig. 1, will pro-,

ject beyond the flanges A and B, whereby the binding posts 10 and 11 will be spaced from the manifold and will be disposed in such position that lead wires from the storage battery, dry battery or generator of the automobile may be readily connected to the resistance element of the device. The gasket is preferably built up by three laminations 12, 13 and 14, which members are cemented or otherwise suitably secured to each other. A relatively large circular opening, indicated at 15, is of course, formed in the gasket for the passage of the gases from I the carbureter pipe into the intake manifold.

On each side of the opening 15 are formed smaller openings or apertures 16 through which connecting bolts 16 of the flanges A and B may be passed.

As a means for homogenizing and volatilizing the gases passing through the opening 15, I employ, as best shown in Fig. 4, a single length of wire, the terminals of which are secured to the binding posts 10 and 11. This wire is preferably formed of iron, zinc or some similar metal, or if desired, a metallic composition, which is possessed of a relatively high specific resistance. In weaving the wire in the desired manner, back and forth across the opening 15, I provide at diametrically opposite portions of the opening, a plurality of small apertures, indicated at 16 and 17. The apertures 16 are equi-distantlyspaced from each other as are the apertures 17 and the spaces between the apertures 16. are equivalent to the spaces between the apertures 17. The one end of the wire is first passed through an additional opening 18 formedat the end of the series 16, which aperture is in transverse alinement with the binding; postlO. The wire is passed from the binding post across the upper face of the gasket, then down through the opening 15 and thence up through the opening 18. The wire is then returned back across the opening, as at 19 to extend diagonally to the portion 20 of the, wire which leads from the binding posts to the apertures 18. The wire is then passed down through the first opening of the'series 17 and is then directed straight across the opening 15 to the first aperture of the series 16, providing a portion 21 which is parallel to the portion 20. The wire is then passed up through the first aperture of the series 16 and next directed across the opening, producing a portion 22 which extends parallel to the portion spect to the portions 20 and 21. The wire is then passed down through the second aperture of the series 17 and then directed back across the opening 15 in parallel relation to the strands 20 and 21 and then up through the second opening of the series 16. Thus the wire is woven back and forth across the opening 15, until it is passed through the terminal aperture of the series 16. After'being passed through this aperture, the wire is passed back across the opening 15 and secured to the binding post 11. It should. be noted that the binding posts 10 and 11 are spaced from each other a distance equal to the space between the terminal apertures of the series 16, so that the terminal strands 20 and 23 extend in parallel relation to each other. It will now be apparent that the wire is passed back and 19, but diagonally with rewhich is created when an electrical current is passed through the wire, is materially increased. In this connection, it will be apparent that this zig-zagging of the wires Will, of course, have the effect of breaking up the passing volume of gas into a number of irregularly shaped currents which will, after passing through the carbureting device, readily intermingle to more thoroughly and intimately mix the constituents of the gas. It will also be observed that by arranging the two series of Wires in superposed relation to each other and by disposing the wires in each series in diagonal relation to the wires of the other series, the heat generated in the difi'erent portions or strands of the Wire, will be radiated in a number of lines, each of which efiects a different portion of the zone to be heated, so that the heat is effectively and uniformly distributed over the entire zone instead of being concentrated along a number of common lines or points.

The wire is, of course, applied to the central lamination sothat the upper and lower lamination may serve as insulating elements for insulating the wire from the metal flanges A and B. It will, of course, be understood that the gasket is adapted forr'elatively permanent application to the engine so that it may serve at all times, as a homogenizer. It will be apparent that the wire is used as a heating element only in cold Weather and when the engine is to be started, for at such times only is it necessary to produce, by an added heating medium, a rise in temperature of the gases to produce rapid volatilization.

In reduction to practice, it has been found that the form of this invention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of this device will necessarily vary, it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing an of the advantages of this invention, as de ned by the appended 0 am.

forth through the opening 15 in such man- 'ner'to provide two superposed series of wires or resisting elements and that while What is claimed is the ends of the resistance Wire being con- 10 A homogenizing and heating device for nected to said binding posts.

gaseous fuels comprising a gasket composed ,In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my of a laminated body of three pieces, an elec signature in the presence of two witnesses.

tric resistance Wire Woven across the opening in the center lamination of the gasket, ELLIOTT ROSS the outer laminations serving to insulate the Witnesses:

wire from the carbureter and intake mani- RAYMOND WHITTAKER,

fold, and binding posts carried by the gasket, ARTHUR KEnxs. 

